video-game hockey is something spiritual to my friends. with several different friends i have found playing hockey to be a relaxing and bonding experience. these days i tend to play with K. with cheer leading support given gleefully by Natalya.

my wife would gladly relate stories of K. and i squealing like school-girls as we button mash and talk trash at the unresponsive PS2.

my friend Christopher introduced me to PS2 hockey. but it was Stephen that solidified an addiction to it. while wrestling through a year at UCLA i would find Stephen and we would play against one another for hours. there were points where the use of goalies was abandoned and we played 6 on 6 with nothing more than a defense man to throw himself in front of an errant puck, or ten push-ups were required for every goal scored on you by your opposition.

for a long time this was simply a fun little release that could be picked up or put down at will. that was before K. and i discovered playing whole seasons and eventually dynasties. now it is something far from easy to put down...

and then one day we happened across an article by a young man we didn't know. he was describing a depression that he had gone through. much of the description centered on playing PS2 hockey with his good friends.

not sure if i was going anywhere with this. i'm amused by the universal appeal of the hockey video-game to young men of a certain demographic. and that i am one of those...

this weekend i remembered a wonderful gem. The Gashlycrumb Tinies by Edward Gorey. Gorey is one of my favority ?authors? though i am not sure that is the correct title to give to him and his work. perhaps graphic artist? anyway, here is the Tinies for your viewing pleasure.